Data communication networks operate computer systems to provide various data services. The data services include internet access, media conferencing, file access, messaging, content delivery, and the like. The computer systems execute networking software to forward data packets for the data services. The networks use traffic managers to optimize network operations.
Data communication networks may use Application Layer Traffic Offload (ALTO) systems to generate network data communication cost models. ALTO systems have geographic regions called Provider Identifiers (PIDs). A PID often represents a market zone like a city or town. ALTO systems continually track the usage, cost, and performance of the network on a per-PID basis. The per-PID network costs are aggregated to create PID-to-PID costs for the data communication services.
The data communication networks increasingly use Network Function Virtualization (NFV) computer infrastructures to execute their networking software. The NFV Infrastructures (NFVIs) distribute the execution of the networking software across various processing cores, time cycles, memories, and I/O ports. The networking software comprises Virtual Machines (VMs) and Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) that are installed, executed, and terminated as new data services are introduced and replaced. Likewise, the NFVI undergoes change as the processors, memories, I/O ports, and hypervisor software are also introduced and replaced. This dynamically changing NFVI environment is controlled by an NFV Management and Orchestration (MANO) data communication system.
The NFV MANO system drives the NFVI to support various network services. For a given Network Service (NS), the NFV MANO system receives data from network operations and responsively transfers network data to the NFVI. In response to the network data, the NFVI executes the proper VMs and VNFs using the appropriate NFVI processing cores, time cycles, memories, and I/O ports to support delivery of the NS.
Unfortunately, NFV and ALTO systems are not effectively or efficiently integrated. The dynamic NFVI and VNF environments overwhelm ALTO systems and inhibit accurate and dynamic NFV cost analysis.